Tied Together: A Year In Mobotropolis
by Miss Inadequate
Summary: [Near future SatAM] Ep. 4, Part 1: The first formal celebration of Mobotropolis's restoration launches off. Sonic the Hedgehog finally gets a face to face reunion with two of his old friends, only to find one had changed immensely.
1. SPRING: Episode 1, A Hero Homecoming

**Episode 1:**

A Hero's Homecoming

* * *

"You don't know a character until you've seen what they do when they're out of the danger; you don't know a character until you've seen what they do on a normal day..."

This is the quote I'm going with. After having worked a bit more on _Deprivation_, I've decided I need some thing fresh. The commitment of a full fic is overwhelming after a while and always returning to the same plot has come to bore me. Thus came the idea of this series. So far on this site, I have failed to see any real depictions of normal life. The stories are always about what happens to our heroes when 'Robotnik' strikes or the world is in danger. The only normal stories I have seen are romances and life isn't about that. That is why I'm trying something new. Every 'chapter' I add here will be a fresh start; every chapter will be a different story, branching off of this one right here. This story is the answer to those of you wondering about the motivation of _Forgotten?_ and _A Collection of Misplaced Feelings_. In a sense, all of the Sonic stories I've done for this site will be connected in this. This is an exciting project to me, and I myself am excited to see where it goes. This isn't going to have high drama like my other stories do, making it different for me. I may even go so far as to include characters like Amy, depending on the direction this goes.

This is far future SatAM, folks and my interpretation of it. This episode will be longer than the others as well, seeing I spend a good amount of it developing what has happened to the three main characters up to that point. The title on this series is also tentative, so don't be surprised if it's changed in someway or another. Nonetheless, enjoy everyone! I'm hoping to snag a review or two on this one.

(I will post an editted version (meaning for spelling and grammar) of this story later, unless I find there aren't an overwhelming amount of errors in it.)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sally, Tails, or Sonic.

* * *

The city of Mobotropolis was a wondrous achievement in Mobian history. Had someone visited the location as little as two years prior, it would've been a wasteland; three, a hideous, smog-infested factory. After a remarkable recovery, however, it almost resembles what it had been. Quaint little townhouses crowded the streets. Small shops and businesses were dispersed everywhere. Bright whites and pastels filled the area.

Mobians rustled and bustled to and fro. Some had jobs to do; others had homes to make. The city was an ongoing recovery project; so much had been done yet so much had yet to be finished. New businesses were opening daily. Government was slowly but firmly being reestablished. Schools were being built; trees were being planted; routine was slowly unfolding. There was no such thing as serenity in a developing city either. To say there was a such thing as peace in Mobotropolis was a complete fib; if anything. Life was always moving. Life was always speeding ahead. Life was always trying to catch up…

For all those lost years.

Nevertheless, excitement filled the air. It was late spring and after about three years of restoration, the city was finally having a formal celebration. The summer solstice festival was being advertised for miles across; banners with the bright yellow sun and orange letter were lie on every light-pole; every empty wall; every bulletin board. Rumors of the celebration scattered to every crevice.

And then there was some speculation, merely some; but all the same some; that a certain someone may be coming back. A hero that had been gone for so long the entire town couldn't help but be fascinated with him.

* * *

"Where is he?"

The same lines echoed back; the same lines had been used in the past. For a different person; for a different time; and then again, sometimes she could just see herself there; still waiting by that junk pile; forever waiting…

But times had changed. The days were different. What had once been a pile of paper of military plans was now a pile of new bills; of the new political excess paperwork that confined much of her time to her desk. The time she spent at her desk; studying, reading, signing, and occasionally, when there was time to spare, writing. It seemed to be the only place she had new authority. It seemed to be the only place there was complete respect and cooperation towards her words.

Nonetheless, she always seemed to find some way around her work to escape. She laid more reasonable excuses than any of her former colleagues had during that war (there was one in particular who she thought had a near dictionary of useless phrases to get out of certain jobs); she laid more reasonable excuses on her father than anyone else did in the kingdom. Ever since his restoration himself, she had at first been unusually close to him; nearly clinging to him; begging for the childhood she could've had…

She wanted to be his little girl for a while mentally. She wanted to be his child for a while sub-consciously, and he had full-heartedly accepted her company. He talked to her; they talked about useless things; her life during the war, her plans…

But never her dreams…

She didn't have the heart to talk to him about that; she didn't have the heart to talk to the King about anything of the sort. It didn't seem right. It didn't seem natural. And even with all that intellectual blabbering, there was a feeling deep down in her heart that couldn't talk to him. Though words poured out like a storm, she couldn't say the things that mattered; the things that were at the top of her heart. All in all, their relationship was cherished, but mute. There was some closeness but not a sufficient amount.

There would never be the closeness she had with _him_…

Memories played on in her head like a music track. A beloved song playing over and over; the same broken record going on and on on _her _jukebox; that same enchanted melody replaying in her mind. And somehow, through all the repeats, she never grew tired of hearing it. The idea never grew exhausted at all.

And through all those days hoping he'd come back; through all those letters that were never sent (and the ones that did, only to be returned a week later by the newly formed mail service, complaining the address on them was no longer sufficient), she still maintained hope. She still waited for that reply. She waited, with fading motivation, but nonetheless waited. She always boasted she had more patience than he did, anyway. Since when was she to be hypocrite to it?

Times had changed, and that was no understatement. Her blue boots swung back and forth understand the booth she was sitting at. Her matching vest was still done the same way as it had been years ago. Her auburn hair, tied up into that perfect ponytail, although slightly longer, was still the same; her bang were still a predominate asset of her face. The longer hair was a symbol to her, at least. Allowing her hair to grow longer was a sign the war had ended; was the sign _something_ could go free. Out of preference, however, she hadn't let it grow completely. Functionality was no longer the motivation behind her hair style, though it was the reason for her ponytail. The motivation of her hair could be summed to four words; she kept it longer for herself, but more importantly, her friend. Those evenings when there were events at the castle, it always gave her yet another reasonable excuse to slip out and visit someone old. It was her friend's smile, her friend's chuckle that always made it worth it.

'Wha' am 'ah goin' do with you, Sally-girl," weren't those the words that were typically said?

It always seemed to warm her heart hearing them; promptly and typically. Her blue eyes took on more of a mysterious, distance gaze as she stared outside the big glass window; the giant glass window their favorite booth was always at. It was the reason that had attracted her before; the fact that staring out it she could see everything that was going on; all the people running about.

She could see right out that window everything she had fought for; everything she was continuing to strive for and it was well worth it. The dull, earth tones of the Twilight Café had slowly won her. The brown panels on the window were always a landmark site for her eye. The mustard color on the walls was always a relaxing sight; the key lime signs advertising new flavors; the chalkboard with the neatly written 'blends of the day'; the smell of coffee beans and herbal tea always seemed to serenade her. Calm piano always softly played over a loud speaker, but it was classic music that struck her. It wasn't formal; it was modern. It wasn't the elaborate, string pieces that were played during her father's 'regal' affairs. It was youthful; it was luring; it was new.

The Twilight Café had become Mobotropolis' most overlooked and neglected businesses. While most Mobians her age; ripe in youth preferred the newly-built dance club; the tall gray building with the flashy rainbow neon lights, it was easy for Princess Sally to say she'd prefer an evening spent drinking tea and chatting with an old friend, keeping low-profile in the small café. The building had become a second home to her. She brought her work there; she ate her lunches there after morning political meetings.

It was the first place she turned to in the town, and one of the places she spent the most of her time at; second to the castle. The restored Castle Acorn had been everything she could've dreamed or hoped for. It was beautiful; it was refined; it was elegant. The Mobians there all fit those three adjectives; the Mobian she was there perfectly fit those three adjectives. There was a fourth adjective, however, when all three were in combination. It was one word; in the castle, Princess Sally was positively and absolutely fake.

It wasn't out of preference, it was out of obligation. All for duty; that is. The word 'princess' never seemed to strike out more in her name. Everywhere she went she was recognized as it; no longer a person, merely a title. And through it all, it was the one aspect she chose to ignore.

* * *

The brown door to the café swung open fifteen minutes later, and through it came a two-tailed fox. He was late for something; it was evident by the glance in his blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Aunt Sally! I lost track of time!"

"It's alright, Tails." A warm smile. "I almost lost track myself. There's been so much work that's been needed to be done on the paper. I spent most of my time yesterday helping set up the office."

"The paper? Oh! How is the paper, Aunt Sally? When's the first issue coming out?"

"We don't know. We're aiming to have it out by the first day of the festival, but right now it seems more of a distant suggestion than a definite. I've been talking to the core editor about it and-"

The fox grinned itself. It had been a long time since he saw his 'aunt' ramble on so happily about something. He always seemed to take fascination in her affairs; just the sound of her voice seemed to remind him of the days back; when he was a little kid himself. Miles Prower had grown impeccably during the time after the war. Having enrolled at one of the schools, but eventually being sent into city's developing university, he was happily working on majoring in mechanics. He was a student, but he was extremely happy to be in that position. He had a thirst for knowledge in the same way his 'aunt' did; at times she herself even remarked that he had gotten 'her mind'.

And when he'd bashfully deny it; reply he just couldn't with a slight blush, his 'aunt' would always giggle and shake her head. He may have gotten her mind, she'd say, but thankfully, he hadn't gotten that _someone else's_ ego. Laughter would emerge from the two of them again and there'd be nothing but smiles.

It was no understatement that little Miles was the happiest around his 'aunt'. Time had pulled them apart however. Time pulled everyone apart. No longer did he hear her bedtime stories. He was lucky if he saw her daily; sometimes he was lucky if he saw her once a week. Spending a great deal of his time at the university and the rest in his workshop shortly outside the town, he was lucky if he had any time. So far he had worked up the blueprints for two major planes. So far he had built one and he couldn't have been prouder.

And upon showing it to his 'aunt'; upon her talking to him about her own worries; about her own amazement on how much older (and mature) he had gotten it had struck the two of them that they didn't spend enough time together. It had struck little Tails there and then that one of the two people he cared most about was right in front of him and that, with a little effort, he could see her more.

Thus came the idea of the meets at the café. At least once a week they met there and shared lunch. They talked about what had happened to them; they talked about the old days. Sally still gave him her Funny Kisses before he left; he'd still hug her whenever they met. It was his favorite time of the week and by the smile on her face, he could tell she felt the same. These visits typically fell twice a week and at the most, they had arranged meetings there everyday. It had been the best week the little fox had had in a long while.

"…and Tails? Tails, are you even listening to me, honey?"

His eyes shot up and he nodded. "Uhh…yeah, of course, Aunt Sally!"

"Are you feeling alright?" She laid a hand on his forehead, the same she wore her family crest on. He had always found it funny; the fact she wore a ring. He had once asked if it meant she was engaged and she replied it had. It meant she was engaged to politics. Though he had laughed with her at the time, it had never struck him before all that happened after the war what being 'the fiancée of politics' really meant. It hadn't really struck him that it really wasn't a funny thing; that politics were serious.

But maybe that was what his 'aunt' needed; some lightening up everyone in a while. The laughter was something he was always happy to share with her once in a while.

"…hmm…your forehead seems alright. I hope you're not getting a case of hedgehogitis, Miles. You know, the symptoms of it include increased appetite, ego, and attention deficit. I think you may have two…"

"Well, I _am_ hungry."

"What would you like to eat, Tails? I'm not going to accept 'only a coffee, Aunt Sally' either. You're growing, Tails. You need your food."

"I'm too hungry for just a coffee. I can't wait until the subway system's finally finished Aunt Sally, because the fly here's exhausting…"

"From what my father told me, it's still going to be a couple months. We've been working on it for years though, Tails."

"It's gonna be so cool, Aunt Sally…"

"The word cool's an understatement. It's going to be way past cool, Tails. The opening ceremony should be in the fall…"

"The fall? We still have summer to go, Aunt Sally! That means I've still gotta fly here…"

"But you've gotten better at flying, Tails. The fact you can handle the distance on your own is impeccable. I'd take you over an airline any day."

"Yeah, the airline system's pretty cool though, Aunt Sally! They let me inspect on of their planes once. It was AMAZING!"

"Amazing, Tails?"

"No, it was-it was-I can't even describe it, Aunt Sally! I mean, just looking at that engine…"

She let out a giggle. "I'm glad to hear it, honey. I only wish politics could be that AMAZING…"

"Well, you get to make laws and stuff…"

"The legislature does that. The legislature, meaning my father..." Shaking her head, she sighed. "I can't wait to see the democratic government finally being intact to this city, Tails. Power to the people; we've fought for the concept so long in my father's court."

"Power to the people, Aunt Sally?"

"Mmhmm, meaning a representative government. Daddy will still oversee it, of course, but a basic republic government for the city. They'll be a mayor and city delegates. You as citizens will be able to vote and-"

"And it sounds pretty cool, Aunt Sally."

"That's right, Tails. That also means less work for my father. The mayor will handle a lot of the business my father does. You know how much my father gets worked up, Tails. It isn't good for his health. Ever since the end of the war, he's had so much to handle…"

"You've had so much to handle…" A lingering frown.

"I have to do it, Tails, you know that…"

"But it's so much, Aunt Sally."

"I know…"

There was silence between them for a while.

"But I'm hoping," Sally begun the conversation again almost shyly. "That once we get the paper up and in circulation, Daddy will let me be a regular reporter for it. Being a journalist will give me another reason to get out of the castle, Tails. Can you imagine it? Being able to report on all the stories? Writing about everything that's happening in the town? I don't mean politically, sweetie, but about common people. 'So-and-So Opens Up A New Shop'; 'Ms. Someone Celebrates Her Son's Homecoming'. Celebrations of normalcy, Tails. Recognition of the average people. Acknowledgements of something good. Th-there is good on Mobius, Tails. The paper before never emphasized it enough."

"What paper?"

"Any paper, Tails. Everyone makes the mistake of always focusing on controversial matters. Everyone focuses on bad news. Everyone focuses on politics. I want this paper to be different though. Nobody wants to hear about death. Even after the war, it still scares me seeing it. I'll never get used to it, Tails, and I think it's safe to assume the rest of the public feels the same way. There's something…special in simplicity, sweetie. No one needs to know the all details of everything that's going around. Some, but not all."

"Oh?"

"Oh." Another smile. "You know, Tails, we could really use a writer like you on the paper. I meant to ask you this before, but I was hoping you'd volunteer to write a column. It doesn't have to be daily; it can maybe be even monthly, but I want to hear your voice. The paper should have equal representation, Tails, and your age is just as important as mine or anyone above it."

"So you want me write a column? About what, Aunt Sally?"

"Anything, Tails. Anything that's important to you. Anything that's important to people in your age group. Just write to a general audience, Tails-no, write to your audience. I'd love to see what you come up with, honey. I've already talked to one of the editors about it, and they'd be delighted too. I've told him all about you…" Another dazed sigh. The princess's glance narrowed. "Now all we need…" her voice took more of a murmur.

"What do you need, Aunt Sally?"

"A good…cover story, Tails."

"Why don't you write about the festival Aunt Sally?"

"That was what I had in mind, but my editor said otherwise. We need to spread the topics of the issue…and besides, there's rumors floating around, sweetie, and everyone wants to-I want to-" Hesitation.

The fox nodded. "Know if he's back?"

"Did I make it that obvious, Tails?"

"You have this way, Aunt Sally. So did you get a letter from him?"

There was this way the topic always wandered back to the same topic; how it always flew back to him. The topic brought out the insecurity in both of them; the wandering curiosity. It was the one thing they felt the exact same way on; it was the one thing they both missed.

Ever since after the war, Sonic the Hedgehog had left Knothole. He had stayed for a bit; help with the freeing Sally's father; helped with the first restoration plans for the city. Then he had stated he was going for a while; to make sure 'Buttnik' and his cronies were beat for good. He said he wanted to see the world. He said he needed that one last adventure. He said he needed to for the people, but most of all, he needed to himself.

His promises to write were hardly kept. In the beginning, Sally had received letters from him on an almost weekly basis. As time went by, they became more scattered to the point she was lucky if she received one at all. She saved them all, however, and the days they did come there would always be a mini celebration among her and the original Freedom Fighters. Somehow, she'd always manage to get them together behind her father's back. She'd read them the letters and they'd have a small party. They'd talk about the war; they'd talk about their lives now…just the way it should be.

Tails, however, was always the first person who got to read the letters. She'd bring them with her to the café and there they sat; reading and analyzing them. 'Do you think he's thinking about us right now?' he'd ask. And she'd reply with something along the lines of 'Without a doubt'.

"…no, not yet, Tails. I sent another one out a week ago."

"Oh. Where's he supposed to be now, Aunt Sally?"

"Well, according to NICOLE and his last letter, he should be relatively close to here. I was thinking, Tails, if I could strike up some coordinates that we could take your plane out to look for him."

"Look for him? Oh, Aunt Sally, could we?"

"I don't know about this week, Tails, but I'd love to whenever you have the time."

"Well, school's almost done so how about on the first day of summer?"

"During the festival, Tails? I have to be there though. I promised Daddy I'd do a speech to introduce it."

"Couldn't you get out of it?"

"I've promised him for months, Tails and if things go as planned, I need to be there for the paper too. Don't worry though, as soon as the festival ends, I have a nice big gap in my schedule with your name written across it, Miles Prower."

A smile. "So we can finally take that vacation, right, Aunt Sally?"

"Right, Tails." She gave a thumbs-up. He smiled. The relationship between them hadn't changed at all. Staring about the café, the two were treated to a nice, near silence. Sally's eyes wandered out the window, as the fox continued to stare around the café. A couple sat at a booth across from theirs. A lady munched on her sandwich in the far corner. Tails smiled to himself, watching them.

The piano continued to sooth them until the bell on the door rang as it opened. "THERE'S A ROBOT IN THE STREETS! THERE'S A GIANT ROBOT IN MOBOTROPOLIS!"

All at once, shrills. The lady dropped her sandwich. The couple exchanged glances. Out the window, Mobians began to scurry into hiding. There was a bang and mini earthquake as the steps of the metal monster continued to hit the pavement. The coffees on the couple's table began to rattle. Giant had been too gracious for the robot. It had the appearance of a SWATbot with some modifications; bigger, but not gigantic.

"What should we do, Aunt Sal-" But before the kit could even finish, he noticed something else. A blue blur spun around the robot. A blue blur attacked from every direction. People began to crowd to the windows, watching, and Sally and Tails, having front seats couldn't help but exchanged puzzled glances themselves. It couldn't be-it wasn't possible-his last letter never mentioned-

But it was.

The robot falling to the ground, a blue hedgehog stopped beside it. A sleek twenty in appearance, he smirked at it, examining it and then looking away. "Is 'dat the best you've got?"

It was like he purposely was putting on a show to an audience. All at once, people poured once, crowding him and giving him wild applause. And like the performer he was, he bowed.

"A-thank you, a-thank you. It's good 'ta be back, ladies 'n gents!"

Thunderous claps. Random whistles. Squeals. Mobius's hero stood before them, in the flesh. He wasn't dead. He wasn't injured. He was as 'good-lookin' and cookin' as ever, in his uncle's words. Sally and Tails found their way out of the café, but they soon found they were just a part of one of the other bystanders.

"Well, Tails," Sally begun crisply, with a small smile. "I think we just found our cover-story."

And through all the cheers, through all the hedgehog's boasting and bowing, all the two friends could find to do was hug.


	2. SPRING: Episode 2, A Near Reunion

**Episode 2:**

A Near Reunion

* * *

**Author's Note:** Before my usual month deadline I have another update! This is more of a surprise to me than it should be to you. Nevertheless, here's Episode 2 of my own little series. To be honest, my own opinion on this episode leans more towards the negative side, but rather than ranting on the bad qualities of my own work, I'll let you be the judge. I apologize for the constant dialogue that ends up towards the end of the chapter. Seventeen pages of this on Word and I myself am disgusted at the length. This has yet to be properly editted either, so please forgive me for the various spelling and grammar areas. I have one more episode left planned and then for those following it, I am in need of ideas/suggestions. I'd love to hear them. If any of you have a title suggestion too, please, give them. This 'fresh' writing project has already turned into the emotional pieces all my other stories became and for that, I'm somewhat sickened. Nevertheless, emotion is what I do best with my writing so it's a fair compromise. I need suggestions though and any review you can muster means the world to me. _**Please read and leave something!**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Sonic characters.

**Side Note:** This chapter references_ A Collection of Misplaced Feelings_, a fic I wrote about two months ago. For further understanding of the entire 'letter' incident, you should read that one! I promise you it's much shorter than this chapter is.

* * *

The business district of Mobotropolis was a cheerful little array of bright flowers and wispy buildings under the late spring sun. Mobians promenaded from one to another, hopping from shop to shop; business to business in search of common needs. Buses hovered the modest road occasionally, offering visitors and inhabitants all alike a way to traverse the entire metropolis and exchange districts. For the average Mobian, however, afternoons were most commonly spent in this district; running errands, working, or when there was time, admiring the view. 

Upon the establishments that greeted the strip; from the mild bakeries to raunchy tool stores, one stood out as plainly neglected. The black railing that curled at the top and bottom of the concrete stairs to the building wasn't as frequented as the others. The bright red and pink tulips that rest on the opposite sides of the staircase weren't shine upon in the same way as others. The door rarely opened and the windows rarely closed. The mild temperatures that greeted the outdoors made any store that did seem insane to.

Black letters stenciled above the building's ruby door labeled it in a fancy font.

"So this is where Sal works!"

The words Mobotropolis Daily met the emerald orbs of Sonic the Hedgehog almost sinuously, each word curving past like the overture of a music piece, not to say the hedgehog ever had the patience (or time) to listen to one. With contrasting matter, he buckled up the stairs and in, opening the door to reveal an empty floor of desks. Arms stretched across as if his appearance was expected, he frowned.

And where was_ his_ audience?

His homecoming had struck him as a chance to get the attention he had been so deprived of all through his trip. The roars and whistles that had filled his ears reminded him of what it meant to be a hero; the screams and cheers reminded him of what it was to be home. He was a celebrity. Children idolized him. It was his doll that was outside the toy shop; his name that was uttered through the air at every cross road. Sonic's back; Sonic's really back. That was that they said about him; the most handsome, cool, true blue blur to really hit the planet.

After a long while of senseless fighting, he was finally being loved. There was an emptiness inside him he couldn't quite explain; the kind he'd daily hide and shrug off. 'Emptiness for chili dogs.' He'd always believe and set off for the nearest stand. But it wasn't emptiness for food; hunger didn't stop it. No matter what foreign town he ran into; no matter where he ran period he always ran into one thing himself: the past. The end of the war had meant to him being free. Running around with no guilt; running with chains attached; no rope holding him back. Running, just running…

He didn't know from what, but just running. Wasn't that what freedom was supposed to be?

But it wasn't. The farther he ran, the more he was reminded of what he left. For every 'bot he beat, he was reminded of every mission; for every life he saved he was reminded of every time he saved her; every time he saved him. There was something beyond a war that had tied him down that he just hadn't realized. There was something that was stronger than the ropes of responsibility; stronger than the ties of duty.

That something was emotional attachments.

And that, in a nutshell, was why he was back. He could run for ages had he not had these; he could run for ages with no purpose than to defeat bad. But even the strongest hero needed company and he was no exception…

There was no sadder fate than solitude, or so it was said, and someone as good looking as him did not want to end up an anti-social like Robotnik…or more or less, hated like him.

His last few years had consisted of fighting what was left of that monster; helping others for no real reason other than the fact it was right. Helping a shine a light on the world or whatever; he wasn't really one to get too philosophic.

And so he was back. He had been back for a few days now. The commotion over his return had settled down tremendously (or so in his opinion) but wherever he went, he still got a following. Luckily, his run to the building had left all his prior following behind. There weren't very many in the city that could keep up with a supersonic hedgehog! Actually, he'd tell himself in that inactive mind of his, there aren't any!

He was the fastest thing out there. The fastest runner, thinker, athlete, music player, you name it! Every ounce of that true blue body of his was gifted. He could roll his way out of any problem; dash into any felon; save anyone or anything that needed saving. He was the definition of protagonist. He was the definition of cool. He was suave; he was sly; he was cunning; he was charming. He had seen little boys in the street pretending to be him!

It was some homecoming, some way past cool homecoming and it wasn't over. No, no! After having approached that pedantic coyote at the castle gates that morning he knew it wasn't over. It had taken what; a half an hour of talking and pleading with him to get the princess's location? "'Zhe eez very buzy, 'edge'og…"

Blah, blah, blah. It was an amazement anyone could make out the things he said, with that thick French accent of his. "'Zhe doezn't 'ave 'ze time to see you…"

On and on and on…

His rusty, dirt smocked red sneaker had been tapping. Up and down, up and down…

And his emerald eyes, watching…

"Zo az you can zee, if you could juzt go…"

Still waiting…

"AW VOULD YOU ZTOP?"

And finally, words.

"You know, you're not much of an entertainer, Ant."

"ARGH! VELL 'ERE EEZ 'ZOME S'OW! 'ZHE PRINZESS IS IN 'ZE BUZINESS DIZTRICT OF 'ZE CITY. _BUZINESS!_ 'ZHE EEZ AT VORK IN 'ZE NEWZPAPER BUILDING! DOEZ 'ZIS ZATISFY YOU? AM I NOW 'ZE ENTERTAINER 'ZAT YOU ZPEAK OF?"

"Aw, I don't know Ant, couldja give me an encore and maybe an address with that?"

Well, somehow he had gotten the address from the guard and a seemingly polite good-bye. A nice 'Au revoir' and 'Do not come back' had topped the perfect reunion with Antoine D'COWARD' (this again, in his opinion). It was no surprise that the former Freedom Fighter would have ended up the clingy guard he was to the princess; it was no real jaw-dropper that the coyote that could barely hold his sword up would, in his words, be her 'protector'. Just the thought of him always caused him to laugh. Antoine the Guard; Antoine: Sally's Protector. Go fancy that.

The desks in the news office were scattered about the room in an orderly fashion. They took up half the room, leaving room for what looked like a lounge area. There was a couch, what seemed to him to be a coffee maker, and a few pastries tossed in between.

On the left side of the room was a white staircase with a brown rim and outline. At the top looked like what was the printer room while two restroom doors sat beside it. His gaze returning to the first floor, he kept his eye on every wooden table, trying to seek one out in a mess of many. He read the headlines written on the papers to himself. He spotted the red ink marks that abhorred the various papers and let the marks slide past his head. He spotted the editor in chef's desk, whose pile of papers surpassed everyone else's. He saw the picture frames on desks; the abandoned coffee mugs on others. He saw it all; one after another…

And in the corner of the room, he saw it.

"Count on Sal 'ta keep her desk immaculate!"

Scurrying over, he took her seat in front of it, studying the various items on it. There was a neat stack of papers. There was a folder. There was an organizer. There was a day planner. Every item on the desk said 'Sal'. Her pens and pencils were laid down perfectly on the side; so perfectly that it tempted him to tip one out of place. There were three picture frames on the top left side of it put into almost a triangle; one picture of her father (center back, it seemed to Sonic he was probably the least important with the way she laid them), the other of the old Freedom Fighters (this to the left), and finally at the right and closest to her, one smiling photo of a certain little fox: Tails. The grin on the kit's face nearly caused a warm grin to duplicate on his own. There was a vase of flowers behind these; a bouquet of daisies with the tag still happily attached to one: _From your biggest fan, Tails. I love you!_

Sonic could tell why she had left it on there. _Biggest fan, huh?_, he wondered, opening the drawls to the table and peering in. Well, who said there couldn't be any new competition? There was some paper inside, a journal; stapler, paper clips, all that boring stuff that shouted 'office work' to him. Opening the left drawl he noticed a few neatly stuffed politic books; Mobius: A Complete History. What a joy to read!

He noticed a few journals beside them, most of them reading 'notes'. He idly flipped through each one, staring at page after page of neat handwriting describing government policies and events of the past. A grin always cracked on his fact as he noticed the quality go down; he could always tell by the curve of her s's when she was tired of writing (typically after two full pages). Well, no girl was imperious to the forces of fatigue!

Shoving the journals back beside her books, he suddenly notice on thing supporting them; something that looked along the lines like a wrapped shoebox. Taking it out and leaving the journals tipping he examined it and gave it a shake. Did someone buy her new shoes or something? It sure didn't sound much like it.

It sounded like paper, or more of, envelops. Setting the box down on his lap, he smiled and read the name stretched across the box.

"Sonic…aw, Sal, you shouldn't have!" Taking it, he kissed the top briskly, fingering the white ribbon after. The blue paper should have been enough of an indicator it was for him. _Way to wrap a homecoming gift for a hero, huh, Sal?_

Grinning to himself, he got up and shut the door abruptly, heading out the office. And then came the downpour of thoughts…

Oh how he wondered…

* * *

"A little higher…mmm…yes. That should do it, boys. We'll meet the same time tomorrow?" 

Releasing her end of the attached banner, Sally Acorn brushed her paws triumphantly. Over half the main district had been decorated for the festival in as little as four hours. Her and her decoration team had worked since the break of dawn and already the buildings had been splashed with cheerful shades of reds, yellows, and orange. Already had the main square and palace fountain areas begin to brighten up. Vivacious posters and banners gave the area a happy feel that something was going to happen.

Hopping off the ladder, the princess mustered a graceful landing, admiring the banner that stretched across the main square. "Mobotropolis's First Annual Summer Solstice Festival…" she read aloud to herself, in marvel. "Our first real chance to celebrate the progress our city has made through restoration, revelation, and-"

"Uh, Princess?"

Snapping out of her lingering mindset, her dazed countenance straightened at the tap of one of her teammates. A dog in overalls' shadow almost overtook her as her gaze reverted to him.

"Are we dismissed?"

"Dismissed?" Slight hesitation as she focused her train of thought. "Oh, y-yes, you're dismissed. Tell the others to rest tonight. If we can have everything done by seven, we should be able to start welcoming in the crowds at eight. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

A simple nod of agreement.

The others managed a smile and wave themselves, going off on their own ways. Days of working with this team had transformed the once seemingly placid main district into a surge of color and sunshine. The festival was only days away and the work for her and her team had grown heavy. Banners had to be hung; balloons needed to be blown; food needed to be ordered and picked up. As she hung to the back railing of one of the city's buses, the princess was reminded of the long list of activities that _she_ neededto work on completing. She had to finish her speech; edit the rest of the articles for the paper; she had to put some refreshment orders in; pick up an order of balloons; she needed to have dinner with her father; find a way out of that dinner to spend the evening with Tails at his 'Last Day of School Eve' celebration; finish some papers; help finalize the first issue of the newspaper…

The list went on and on. Every item on there was outlined with a certain time table. Every event in her day was turned into a label on her schedule. And after every cluster there was the lingering time between. Her life was like a longitudinal wave, her schedule cluttering in at some points and then spreading out completely at others. It stretched in and out and out of preference, it was no mystery she plainly enjoyed it more when it was out.

Those were the nights she could spend at the park; those were the nights she could sit there, swinging on the swing with Tails, just talking. Those were the nights she could spend laughing with Bunnie; those were the nights she could spend trying to keep Antoine lured enough to sneak past him; those were the starlit nights she could spend staring at the stars alone; talking with Rotor; writing letters to no one in particular; filling her diary with event after event of her stressful, regal life. Those are the nights she could reminisce and reflect. Those were the times she loved most. Those were the times when she wasn't limited. Those were the times she was really free.

Those were the nights she could dream of _him_.

The bus stopping at the business district, she got off as many other Mobians proceeded in. It was noontime and the busiest time of the day. Restaurants were full of workers. Café tables were piled with plates and beverages. Chatter was everywhere; laughter was everywhere. It was everyone's break. Wandering into the newspaper building, she sub-consciously made her way to her desk and took a seat. Mentally, she was too caught in the hubbub of all that was going on to notice current events. Reaching for a pencil, she begun to write on the paper that lie neatly on the center of her desk. Her eyes skimmed across the text, her blue gaze reading the title lackadaisically: _Summer Festival Makes Its Onset: Mobians Celebrate for the First Time in Three Years_.

Glancing around for a pen, she noticed there unusually wasn't one on the desk. The red pen was specifically always on the edge of the row because it was the most frequented, but the entire row's peace looked disrupted. Taking it someone had borrowed it while she was gone, she reached into her center drawl to pull it open and find a new one. As her gaze cascaded downward it met that of the other drawls. The top left one seemed to be the way she left it: neatly closed, no papers edges pouring out. Shutting her eyes briefly, she returned to her seemingly calm state until they opened and hit the second one.

There was her verdict.

The drawl was messily forced shut. The spirals on her note journals stuck out like a sore thumb. Below the drawl two of her pens rested; one blue, the other red. Scooping them up and abruptly opening the drawl, her eyes widened. The journals were out of place! The books were hastily placed in! Mobius: A Complete History came before Politics In The New Ages! Whether this was a joke by Tails to tell her to 'lighten up' or the work of one of her other editors, the ground squirrel couldn't help but be enraged.

Someone had been through her things! Someone had barged in her desk and invaded her privacy! It was enough none of the things on her desk could be kept secret in the castle, but she had thought this office was different! She kept everything she couldn't keep in her room in there; her journals, old diaries, notes from the war, everything that meant something to her and the mere thought of some stranger (or friend) rummaging through them struck her hard. She would've been calmer had her life not been at such a stress point; she would've been more laidback and nonchalant had the 'wave' of her life not been at a compression point; she would've of cared as much had she not notice the most important item to her in there was gone!

Her box; her innocent little box full of years of writing! The blue-wrapped shoebox she always kept in the far corner; the box tied with a white ribbon that she used to support her books! The box she put all her letters in; the box she kept his picture in; the box that served as her only piece of memorabilia of him and all they had done! Every letter in there written to him was private. Every letter from him had been rewards for all her waiting. The picture of him that rest in the right corner of the box was the only visual proof of him she had left. If it wasn't an inconvenience on a personal matter, it was certainly one on a professional! She needed that picture for the cover! She needed the picture for her article; the one she wrote on him!

And where else would she get a picture of him; where else would she find those letters she waited so long for; where else would she find proof that she had thought of him all the time he was gone? How else would she get back all those letters? How else would she keep what she wrote a secret to the world, her father, and most importantly to him? There were days she was feeling ambitious and had gone out to send them and there were days when she was feeling more demure and it was currently one of them!

If anyone wanted to completely raid her privacy and inner thoughts, they had done it! Every one of those letters were personal; but the last exploded on so many things she had wanted no one to know. They said more than her diary; they said more then every thought she had had in the past. They were her vulnerability. How would the public feel to know their princess was almost ashamed of her position? How would her father react if he read that _she_ felt completely powerless? What kind of respect would the public give her if they knew she sometimes barely respected herself? What would that do to her family image? What would that do to her? It'd destroy her; it'd obliterate her; it'd all out expose her.

But at that moment, those were the reasons she was upset. An image could be rebuilt; a feeling could be replaced, but her words couldn't. Every single letter she had addressed out to the same person; every one of those letters she had for once written exactly what was on her heart; every single lucrative detail. Every one…no one left with less than another. Every one she wanted to give to him.

Otherwise, how else would he know? The chance for her to come free with the feelings that chained her inside had just been stripped from her. Every opportunity she had wanted to say those three little words and mean them fully had just been snatched by some stranger. How else would she get her own freedom; knowing that she really let the walls go completely down for once? Her walls; her stupid little walls of emotional protection; the ones she never let down, not even for herself. A crumble here and there was typical, but her one real chance to do it without guilt had left her.

Those letters were more than past emotions, they were ongoing now. And there was so much of her; all of her that wanted to give them to him. Not all at once, maybe one at a time; maybe periodically, and then again, with her bravery, maybe never. Because if there was one thing Sally Acorn was a coward to; if there was one thing she was completely afraid of, it was of herself.

* * *

"C'mon Aunt Sally, brighten up! It's the Last Day of School EVE! After over 180 days of strenuous and nonstop learning, I'm gonna be free! Don't act so glum! C'mon!" 

Two single balloons swayed in the night breeze. A beautiful starlit sky stretched across the horizon. Crickets chirps and fireflies danced in the moonlight, putting on an whimsical show. The light flicked on and off, on and off…

Clinging to the rims of the swing the fox had installed the year prior, the princess only stared up at the child occasionally, who seemed to be dancing in the grassy field that surrounded his house. Miles Prower's workshop was an unknown sanctuary. Relatively far away from the continuous action that was the city, his home was a collision of hard work and peace. It was mystical, it was gorgeous…

Nevertheless, feelings from earlier surfaced and falling into the karma the house was pruned to give became impossible for her. She wanted to enjoy herself but she couldn't enjoy herself.

"Tails, uhh…Tails, you didn't take my letter box, did you?"

"Letter box?" The fox stopped dancing for a moment, scurrying over and studying her.

"The letter box I kept in my office. I was doing the decorations today, Tails, so I left the office for a while and as soon as I got back, I found _someone_ had gone through my desk…"

"And…?"

"And they took my box, Tails! You know how much those letters meant to me!"

"Well, I didn't take them."

"You're the only one who knew I had them there though, Tails. You're the only one that could've taken them!"

"I didn't, Aunt Sally, honest! I don't know who did!"

"I don't either. But Tails, those letters were important. If they could get into the wrong hands-"

"Aunt Sally, maybe you just misplaced them. I don't think some stranger would go through your desk and take them."

"The rest of the office was untouched."

"Maybe someone likes you? Aunt Sally, I don't think they'll get published or anything. Your paper's the only paper the town has right now."

"I know, Tails, but if my father sees them-"

"He won't 'cuz I'll find them!"

"It's a city of thousands, Tails-"

"And a thousand of them go to my university. And they probably know a thousand more…"

"Tails, the box is gone and I'm never going to see it again. That's basically what it comes down to. Anyone could've taken it, Tails…looking for one box in a city like Mobotropolis is hopeless."

"It really stinks now, doesn't it, Aunt Sally?"

"Stink doesn't even begin to describe it. I'll never be able to give them to him, Tails…"

"Maybe it was Sonic that took them?"

"He's been back for about a week now Tails, and neither of us have seen him since that incident at the café. Sometimes I think he's really forgotten about us-"

"He couldn't have forgotten! C'mon Aunt Sally, maybe he's just settling in."

"Maybe."

"C'mon, you're the one that always told me he was still thinking of us…"

"With his brain it's a wonder he thinks about anything…"

"AUNT SALLY!"

A small giggle. "You're right, Tails, you're right. We shouldn't worry. I'm sure Sonic just waltz into my office, found my desk out of everyone else's, and went through my drawls and only my drawls and found the box. It's just so likely."

"Aunt Sally…"

"What? That's hope."

Tails was quiet for a moment. "It's a pretty sky tonight, isn't it, Aunt Sally?"

"It's beautiful, Tails…" Her gaze flew upward with his.

"Hee, perfect night to celebrate something as cool as the day before the last day of school, right?"

"Right. I propose a toast, Tails…" Grabbing the paper cup that sat on his porch, she held it up. "To Miles Prower surviving yet another year of tyranny, enduring Mobian History and Physics, living as a sophomore, and still keeping his head and sanity at the same time…"

"That's JUNIOR, now, Aunt Sally…"

"Excuse me, junior." Clearing her throat, she continued. "For making it to class on time everyday, making it two full months without getting his head stuffed in a trash can…"

"Make that four, Aunt Sally! That was a real improvement from my freshmen year…"

"Alright, four and for being the only thirteen year old at Mobotropolis University…"

"Thirteen and two months!"

"For finally being promoted to teenage from preteen, for living through his first_ hard_ exam, being able to interpret another language…"

"And finally being able to understand Antoine!"

"TAILS!"

"What? It's true."

"Fine, for finally being able to understand Antoine with his limited knowledge of French…"

"Limited?"

"For finally enrolling into a government course for his junior year, for once again landing a straight A average with his mathematics, for-"

"For getting invited to a college party!"

"And proudly turning down the invitation…"

"I wanted to go…"

"You were too young, honey…" She began soothingly. He rolled his eyes. She stuck her tongue out.

At this point, he grabbed the cup. "For finally finishing the blueprints for my new plane…"

"Ahem, I'm making the toast." Taking the cup back, she smiled and returned to her 'professional' tone. "For finally making the gorgeous blueprints for his new plane,"

"For building his new plane!"

"For building his new plane much to the aid of myself and Rotor…"

"For getting Aunt Sally out of the castle successfully twenty times…"

She rolled her eyes, repeating the statement. "For getting his 'aunt' Sally out of the inferno twenty times…"

"Actually, it's twenty one now…"

"For helping to arrange three get-togethers with the old Freedom Fighters, for writing one stellar article for the Mobotropolis Daily, for reminding his 'aunt' each day what the word cute is…"

"Aunt Sally!"

"For being the best story listener, for being the best kisser…"

"Kisser? EWW!"

"Correction, best boy to kiss,"

"AUNT SALLY!"

A giggle. "For being there when I needed him, for being a good friend, a good person, and most of all, good nephew; for being-"

"A way past cool fox who everyone loves…" Tails finished, grabbing the cup again. "And most of all, for making it another year without losing the belief that GIRLS HAVE COOTIES!"

"Cooties?"

"What can I say, Aunt Sally? The girls at my school are getting pretty tempting."

"Tempting? You don't mean-"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers! To another successful year!"

"Right on, Aunt Sally!"

"Umm…Tails, you didn't really mean the girls at your school are tempting, did you? They're my age…"

"No, actually, some of them are older…a lot of them are older. The senior girls are…"

"Oh Tails…"

"One of them told me I was cute…"

"Miles Prower…" She shook her head.

"And she was REALLY pretty! She had pretty hair, fur, dress, chest-"

"TAILS!"

"I'm being honest!"

"I'm not saying anything."

"But it's true! They were really-"

"I don't want to hear-"

"But there nothing in comparison to-"

"What happened to _cooties_, Prower?"

"Oh, she still does have cooties. I'm just saying…"

"Let's dance, Tails."

"But I didn't finish."

"C'mon now, you're not turning down a dance with me after this discussion."

"Is that praise, Aunt Sally, or is that a punishment?"

"The latter."

"Awww…but it's sort of hard not to notice them!"

A groan from his aunt as she got off the swing and led him to the 'dance floor'. Leading him in what seemed to be a little waltz, Tails sighed.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Sally…"

"You're forgiven. You're growing up, Tails. I can't expect you not to pay attention to things like that. You're in a college."

"Yeah, you should've seen some of the nasty things they wrote in the boys' bathroom…"

"Good Mobius, Tails, is it just me or are does the heat have you feeling faint?"

"Aw, Aunt Sally, don't get a heart attack! They were the freshmen! They're so immature!"

"May I remind you of who was a freshmen last year? It's not right to assume, Tails-"

"I'm just saying, Aunt Sally! They talk about yucky things…"

"Not all of them. If I can recall, there was a special little freshman this time last year that never really thought of them…"

"Who was that?"

"Oh, I can't remember his name. It was Milli-Mile, Miles Prower! That's it!" A moment of silence. "Tails, just don't grow up too fast on me, alright, sweetie?"

"I won't. You always tell me not to."

"Good. Now about that special chat…"

"Not tonight, Aunt Sally, not tonight."

"I love you, Tails…"

"I love you too, Princess."

"I don't think I make it clear enough."

"You do, you do."

"But ever since Sonic left-"

"Don't worry, Aunt Sally, you do."

The rest of the evening was spent with them just talking. His 'aunt' eventually left and Tails himself was left all alone. Taking down the self made banner for his little celebration, he was taken aback by a voice coming from his communicator. Ever since the war had ended, each of the Freedom Fighters had kept a communicator in case there was ever any trouble. Now it had turned into a device where one of them could page in whenever they wanted to talk and Tails was no exception. He and his 'aunt' used it the most, for those times he really did need her.

But this time, the voice was different. It sounded vaguely like…

"Hedgehog to Prower, Hedgehog to Prower. Come in, T2! This is True Blue speakin'!"

Rushing inside to grab his, Tails switched on the transmission button. "Prower to Hedgehog here! Sonic, is that really you?"

"You bet! What's up over there, 'lil bro?"

"Nothing much. I'm just cleaning up my little party."

"Party? You had a party and didn't invite me? Way past uncool, bro!"

"Well, it wasn't really much of a party. I just had Aunt Sally over and we-"

"Is she still there?"

"What?"

"Sal, is she still there? I've gotta talk to her."

"No, she left a while ago. Are you okay, Sonic?"

"Am I okay? Am I okay? I found her box of letters earlier, Tails! I've gotta talk to her pronto!"

"YOU took her letters?"

"Yeah, and I read every one!"

"YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO READ THEM, SONIC!"

"Hey, they had my name on 'em!"

"But Aunt Sally said they were PERSONAL!"

"I know, T2, I know…but I've gotta talk to her about them _now_!"

"Well, she's gone now and you missed her!"

"She won't pick up her communicator."

"She's probably sleeping!"

"…" Silence on the other line. Realizing his tone of voice, Tails frowned.

"I'm sorry, Sonic. We…uhh…I…we all really missed you."

"I really missed 'cha all too, T2. No worries though, I'm back for good!"

"Where are you?"

"At some hotel. I haven't really gotten the chance 'ta talk to Uncle Chuck yet…"

"Oh. You could stay with me if you like…"

"That'd be WAY cool, bro. Where are you? In one of the town-homes?"

"At my workshop. I built it myself! Aunt Sally said I did a really good job."

"Outside the city?"

"Yeah. But I'm coming there tomorrow, Sonic. It's going to be the last day of school!"

"School? Sal sent you 'ta school?"

"I'm in college."

"SAY WHAT!"

"Hee hee, I'll have to tell you all about it later, right, Sonic? I'm really tired though now too. I've gotta finish cleaning up and my project."

"But wha' about Sal?"

"She's probably at the castle right now."

"I've gotta see her!"

"Well, good luck. The security there's really tight. I've only been there to see her once."

"Once? You've only seen Sal once?"

"No, I see her once a week…actually, every other day and this week everyday. We meet at this café…"

"Café? You mean like the Mess Hall? A cafeteria?"

"No! It's sort of like a restaurant where you order coffee and-" Interruption.

"Hey, Tails?"

"What, Sonic?"

"Does Sal still like me?"

"She's always liked you."

"No, like me, like me."

"I guess she likes you two times…"

"No, bro, by like me, like me, I mean love-"

"Oh! Yeah, she loves you. She loves me too. Aunt Sally loves a lot of people."

"Is she datin' anyone?"

"Dating? You mean like the dates on the calender-"

"No, datin' as in goin' out."

"She goes out with me a lot!"

"Not my point, T2! I mean, kissy-lovey sort of things…"

"Oh, that? EWW! No, she isn't. She says she's too busy."

"Suuuure…"

"Yep! And she said Antoine isn't her type. I don't know what she meant by that, but-"

"Ha, Ant. Go figure. You see her, tell her I wanna meet her."

"But I'm not going to see her, not until the festival."

"What festival?"

"You don't know about the festival? Well, I'll tell you all about it!"

That night would serve as one of the best nights Miles Prower would have in awhile. He would spend a good deal of the rest of it talking on his communicator and then going to bed and though he would be tired in the morning, the sacrifice would be well worth it. There was just something too endearing about talking with an old friend to turn up.


	3. SPRING: Interlude, Sally

**Interlude:**

Under The Starry Sky

* * *

Written in the perspective of Princess Sally

* * *

**Author's Ramblings: **Seeing this story is more of an artistic project, I am experimenting with new forms of writing style (barely) and format. I have some order established now however, and I'll ramble here about it. This story will focus on a year in the city; preferably the four seasons. For every season, there will be three episodes focused around one central conflict and an interlude written in first person between the second and third. The perspectives will change to center each character and these interludes will be used to fill the emotional or internal gaps my regular writing does not. I don't know how pleased I am with the piece you're about to read; some of the ideas are repeating and I'm not sure whether the tone is in character at all (Sally is a hard character to write in the perspective of first person because of her language and vocabulary) but I'm hoping this might justify some of her prior actions and again, add tension. This is intended to be shorter than the other chapters and I will aim to make the rest of my interludes and episodes follow this pattern; decreasing in content. I am also trying to clear up my lengthy-paragraphs-followed-by-stick-dialogue problem, so you'll see some experimenting here. Any suggestions are more than appreciated. Being somewhat occupied when I wrote this, I didn't find the time to edit and read it concisely, so there may be the occasional mistake. Rambling's no understatement for this, but if anything you should get out of this paragraph, it's please read and review! **Constructed criticism, suggestions, and/or compliments are more than appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any Sonic characters.

**

* * *

**

There are nights when the world seems at peace. I don't know how to define them exactly; whether it's when all the lights in the city fade out or when the stars shine overhead with peace. I'm not sure whether it's when the wind kisses your cheek or the sun flashes an unseen wink; or whether it's those rain-stricken mornings when you know you don't have to get out of bed for a while; know that for a while, you're trapped in its sanctuary. I can stare at the sky now and associate myself with it.

It's that whimsical mood that I'm feeling tonight.

I'm not honest with myself enough, but when I cling to the balcony like I am now, staring up at a blanket of supernovas burning and bursting light years away, it strikes me what a beautiful place this planet is. Not to say that the destruction in space is radiant, but the display it puts on here; for Mobius; for the complete mendacity it sets…it's all the more an indicator for where we are today. I've seen the sky so many times before that it's a chanting remind; a repeating rhythm. Thoughts flash through my head almost contagiously. My broken record of the past plays on, reminding me of everything those stars say to me. The war's over. The birds still chirp and life's returning. There are gaps to be filled, but the point is, they are being filled.

I'm watching a child grow up who I love more than anything. I'm seeing friends mature; I'm seeing things fall into place. For the first time, in a long time, things are _actually _falling into place. It's no understatement that I had my doubts before. It's no lie that I felt powerless at one point; it's no fib that there were times I lost hope myself. There was smog where this castle stood; there was a shattered empire in the area my balcony overlooks today but of all things, there was fear. I was in fear.

I suppose I had my way of hiding it; we all did. We'd all promenade about the village; Sonic Hedgehog and I, pretending nothing was wrong. We were such a joke; the way he'd strut, the way I'd tease…the way I took everything and anything for granted. Our walks, our talks…

And it's funny, isn't it; right now I catch myself in the act of letting my thoughts drift back to him. I wonder, I earnestly do, whether when he stares at this same sky he thinks the same thing. Oh, think…honestly, did he ever think?

Head first into so many things; yet he was a genius. He was so much more in tune to things than I was; he was so much more compassionate and lenient in his policies; so beyond the basic worries; so beyond formalities and typicality.

He was everything I wanted to be. If there's anyone I can't lie to, it's myself. I can waltz past my father's authority; converse myself out of events and dinner. I can tell Tails I knew where that someone was when I didn't. I could lie to him; put on a pleasant façade; I could pull out a map; I could feign a reply from him for half my letters and then show it.

And they would all believe me.

I'd be excused with my father; I'd get a smile from Tails. Tails…to be honest, I've lied to him more than I've lied to anyone else. I never lied with malicious intent. He wasn't ready to hear the truth; he wasn't ready to hear my predictions and why should he be? He was twelve going on thirteen. Who was I to say to him that I really had come to believe that his best friend; his surrogate brother was dead? It wasn't in my right as his 'aunt'! It wasn't in my right as his friend to hurt him that much! I cared too much about him to watch him go through the pain I was. I loved him too much to see him lose hope. It would teach him the wrong thing; it wouldn't set the right morals; it wouldn't but most of all, I'd never forgive myself for being the person who exposed him to it.

His thirteenth birthday came all too soon and I couldn't bring myself to let him go heartbroken on it. I saw the excitement in his eyes; I saw that innocent twinkle in those big blue orbs. "This'll be the year, Aunt Sally!" He'd chirp. "He's coming back, I know!"

And as often as I'd remind him that may not be the case; as often as I told him not to get his hopes up, he'd go on. He'd flash a grin. He'd shake his head. "He's GOTTA come back, Aunt Sally! I'm going to be thirteen! I'm gonna be a teenager! He wouldn't miss THIS one!"

I would only smile back. I would only shrug. I would only try to steer pass the topic with a giggle. I knew he wasn't coming back. Searching through my letterbox that night, I pulled out the last real letter he wrote me. It was dated over a year ago. I'd still send my own out, but all of them would be returned eventually. The postal service didn't know where Sonic the Hedgehog was. I didn't and they didn't. I was more spontaneous in naming his destination than I had ever been in our entire relationship.

That was the sinking fact that hurt. I never once laid it on him; my exact feelings. I never conjured into words how much he meant to be; how he really was my own 'knight in shining arming'. The hedgehog was a miracle from Day 1 and I was the last to admit it to myself and now I regret it. Regret isn't strong enough. I can scribble it on a piece of paper; I can insert it between the lengthy paragraphs of my letters, but that won't change the fact I never said those three words to his face.

Three syllables; three little syllables. I couldn't say it when we went on our walks; I didn't have it in me when we said good night; I could find the words when I said good-bye to him that last day. The sun was shining; there was a slight breeze and he had grinned, deciding it was time to be on his way.

"Will you be back?" It was such a silly question; I already knew the answer. I had tapped my foot; faking a naïve countenance and he had grinned.

"And do pigs fly? Of course I'll be back, Sal! I told you; just one last adventure…"

"Sonic, you've been on adventures since you were five..." My nagging only won me a shake of the head from him as he tapped his own sneakers.

"Exactly! C'mon, don't tell me you're still worried about me, Sal. We ripped apart Robotnik's Doomsday machine; we've been juicin' and cruisin' since ever and you're still worried about me now? Sal, tell me you're joking!"

"I'm _serious_, Sonic," The three words evolved into another lecture. "Mobius still hasn't recovered completely from that war. All I want is a promise, Sonic. Promise me you'll be careful…"

"Well duh, Sal! I've still gotta past the twenty mark. This hedgehog isn't fixin' a date with death for a while now!"

"Sonic, 'fixing a date with death' isn't what I'm worried about! It's your recklessness-"

"Aw, Sal, quit frettin'. I'll be back in a couple months. I promise I'll write...everyday." He raised his left gloved hand, extending a pinky. "Hedgehog's honor…does that satisfy you, your royal highness?" There was sarcasm in his voice.

I had only rolled my eyes at him, but deep down, I saw pass the annoyance and took some of the words literally. "Good-bye, Sir Sonic…"

"Good-bye, Princess." It had been a bitter response, but I still forced my arms around him. I embraced him and he returned it. Just the act of his tan arms around me should've been enough reassurance. The fact we had been near arguing before, however, had destroyed it. Originally I had wanted to moment to be heartfelt; originally I had hoped (only hoped) the moment would be romantic. That we would kiss; we'd exchange pleasantries and feelings. It would have been more then sarcasm that backed our responses; it would've been love. He took off a moment later and I watched with a newfound guilt. I had felt something moist fall down a cheek and then had assumed it had been the emotionality of the moment taking me over.

But it was more.

I watched him leave knowing there was so much more I could've said. There was so much more I could've shouted then but I couldn't find my voice. I wandered back to the castle a couple minutes later, snuck in my room and buried my head in my pillow. Laying there, for the first time in a long time, I cried.

I had no reason to really at that point, but somehow, sub-consciously I suppose, the regret had taken over me. Where one gap was filled, a bigger one had been emptied and that gap wouldn't be filled for a long time. Days became weeks, weeks became months, and months became years. My hopes of a quick return had been shredded into pieces at that point; let alone my _hopes_ of any return.

Tails, however; lost no faith. My nephew was a super-trooper; my nephew was a full-fledge believer and I couldn't be more envious of it. His birthday had neared and the price of seeing his own confidence be ripped like my own barred too much on me. I forced myself in a shop; bought him a gift and faked a card. 'Happy Birthday, 'Lil Bro!' I had scribbled on that piece of paper, mimicking Sonic's indiscernible handwriting with a letter for additional study in front of me. 'Sorry I couldn't make it, pal. I just got on Walrus Island, and man, have I got some way past tales to tell about the place when I get back. Keep waitin' for me, bro, you won't be disappointed (then again, would you ever?). Write 'cha soon formally, T2, I've gotta juice now. Tell Sal 'n everyone I miss 'em! Sincerely, Sonic'.

I wrote the words I wanted to hear and forced myself to give him the envelop and box on that day. All the former Freedom Fighters around him while he opened it on the porch of his workshop, he read the note crisply and loudly as he opened the present. His eyes lit up at the writing. All the tension prior had disappeared. "See Aunt Sally?" He taunted to me later that evening, dangling the card in my face. "I knew he'd remember! See? And you thought he wouldn't."

I had only returned his remark with a feigned smile and we had gone up to his room straight after. I read the card to him one more time and tucked him in. I threw in my typical three kisses but by that time, he had already fallen asleep. Outside his window, I saw the same sky I see now; the same stars hovering overhead.

Those stars have been more than just a reminder to me of all the words I could've said and all the words I should've. It reminded me of the fib I still haven't recovered from; it reminded me of the false hope I gave to my nephew but most of all, it reminded me of the false hope I gave to myself. Granted, there was still a bit of me even then that had faith he'd come back. There was a Tails inside me too; with twinkling eyes and an innocent smile. Sonic Hedgehog was coming back. I'd repeat the phrase as if I was trying to brainwash myself into playing the part of the hopeful princess; the motivated 'damsel'. Sonic Hedgehog was coming back. Sonic Hedgehog still cared; Sonic Hedgehog was still alive. He missed us; we missed him. He loved us and we loved him.

There would be a pause in my mind before the last statement. I'd lean a little more forward on my railing. I'd smile a little more and shut my eyes, drawn into fantasy. My heart would warm and once content, I'd say it.

"I love him and he loves me…."


	4. SPRING: Episode 3, The Summer Festival

**Episode 3:**

The Summer Festival, Part One

* * *

The Debut of Unwanted Infatuation

(and the conflicts that arose with it)

* * *

**Author's Note:** This story's blazing, huh? Less than three months and already I've written four, painfully long chapters. If only Deprivation came this naturally. Of the chapters thus far, this is my favorite. I've tried to improve on the aspects of stringy dialogue but throwing some chunky paragraphs in with it. I've also tried to take a fresh direction with some characters (particularly Tails) so if you'd please, tell me where that's going. There are two scenarios in this installment that I especially liked and try to build tension with; Sally's speech and the argument prior. If you could give me feedback directly on how I delievered on those, it'd be appreciated. You can call this the climax of the first 'season', I suppose.

Quick editted version is up now--more in depth one potentially later. Again, I emphasize, **READ AND REVIEW**. I am, as always, in desperate need of feedback--YOUR FEEDBACK. Thank you.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Sonic characters nor will I ever.

* * *

Bright, luminous banners stretched across the main district of the revived metropolis. There was a pale, pastel blue sky lingering under the risen sun. By the looks of it, it couldn't be any later than nine in the morning, typically a time when many would be at work, school, or if lucky (and if it was a weekend) sleeping in. Unlike most of the lazy days of the spring finale, however, this one was different. There was tension. There was excitement. Under the light breeze, there was life.

The castle fountain had become a near pavilion. Castle Acorn boldly stood north of it, but if anything, it was the host to many tourists who had come from different parts of the planet and continent to experience and see the foundation that was the Acorn Kingdom's government. Some came to admire the architecture; the pure beauty that was a palace. Others came to catch a glimpse of the beauty that was the princess…

In the eyes of the princess herself though, that half of the population was ignored. It was at that time in the morning that she stood to the left of the small stage that had been set up in front of the fountain. On top it, a podium. People had crowded behind this stage; it had become the equivalent of an activist march; a protest…

Children rushed around the few gaps. Some Mobians sat; others stood. There was anxious conversation all about. From where she was standing, Princess Sally Acorn, the kingdom's newest political debutant, watched some of the children play a new game. Its name: "How Close Can You Get To Princess Acorn". Under natural circumstances, the game would be relatively simple. They could find her in the town's newspaper office; they could find her in the local café; on the college campus meeting her 'nephew' on the last day of school, watching him jump into her arms raving about the scores of his finals; swinging on the oversized swing at Miles 'Tails' Prower's oasis, his house; see her peering over a balcony, staring up at a blanket of stars, just thinking. They could find her. She was no mystery.

Now, however, was different. There seemed to be a wall around her; a square of straight-faced guards 'protecting' her from outside contact; squeezing her to the point of suffocation. Luckily, however, the square was wide enough there was some air. Luckily, she didn't have to endure it alone.

"I don't think I've ever seen a puff that high on anyone's hair, Aunt Sally!" Chuckling, a fox flew up beside her, admiring her auburn hair, uncomfortably styled into a 'half-up, half-down' position, as deemed by the girls on his campus. The 'puff' however, gave it an old fashion touch. It was pretty, it was elegant; it was classy; it was regal. It was a pretty Aunt Sally.

"That was what two hours of teasing did, Tails. Bunnie labored on it all morning…"

"It's funny…"

"You're funny, Tails…" Her remark was sarcastic, as she nearly stumbled again. "SUPPORT 9 'O CLOCK!" The outburst nearly took the boy by surprise as he landed, immediately grabbing her left arm.

"Thank you, honey." She nearly stumbled momentarily, staring down at a pair of heels that graced her feet. The heel on there had to be at least six inches, she had sympathized. What her father was trying to prove was beyond her. The additional height was doing nothing but discomforting her. She hardly felt powerful or superior. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Tails. I think I have it under control now though. You can let go."

He did that, frowning. "Are you sure you're gonna be okay up there, Aunt Sally? I could come up too, you know? Be your uhh…guard…ing support."

She let out a giggle, shaking her head, her auburn locks going with it. "As much as I'd like that, Tails, I've got to do this for myself. I've delivered a thousand speeches before. This…shouldn't…be…any…harder." Playing with the heel on her left shoe, she tried to find a comfortable position to stand in. However, for every tilt to the right she dealt it, her right shoe fell out of sync, making her look awkward; anything but graceful; anything but distinct.

"But you're in a pair of heels this time!"

"Not to my will, Tails! Of all the missions I've led in Robotropolis this takes all of them!"

A laugh between the two. "Are you sure you have it handled, Aunt Sally?" He studied her, watching her adjust the angle at which her heel was placed. He held back a chuckle at the delicate science; having some respect for her in her painful hour of need (well, anything in heels was painful, he summarized, if it was giving a girl with her overall controlled demeanor trouble).

She painfully nodded, finally gaining her balance and stance. "Well, Tails? Do I look poised? I think I've found the correct position…"

"Hee hee, you're in _first_ position." Glancing at her feet, the fox chuckled once more. First position; both feet facing out and to the side. He learned that watching those college girls dance on that stage. The dance was alright, but those _outfits_-cleaning his mind of those bizarrely arousing images, he focused himself on his 'aunt' (after that discussion during her toast, he had become more reserved on many topics regarding his campus life). His eyes running up, he noticed the other minor details of her apparel; an oversized sunhat in her left paw, a cream, whimsical sun dress covered the upper portion (and most of the lower) of her body. There were small hearts in different shades and variations of brown wandering and meandering on throughout, causing him to giggle. Not even though hazel ribbon straps could keep his eyes away from where he was looking. Actually, for the first time he actually begun to notice his aunt had a figure similar to the girls on campus; feminine curves, an appealing, alluring chest-wait, what was he thinking, to be staring like that? _Why_ was he staring like that? He didn't get it; he didn't get it at all. More or less, ever since that one day his mind had been down in the gutter. Sure, it was sort of hard to avoid that area; it was sort of hard to avoid studying his 'aunt' like that, surely everyone his age had to; didn't Sonic, didn't Antoine? Wasn't it normal? _Was_ it normal? Could he possibly, at the ripe 'ol age of 13 be attracted to his 'aunt'? His 'aunt'; the girl that had tucked him in at Knothole, laid down the Funny Kiss on a nightly basis; the girl that nearly mothered him…was it even possible? There was something about those eyes of hers though, he had to confess. She loved him. She **loved** him; she said so nightly. And he loved her…well, he thought he did, anyway. He always said it back. Yeah, that had to be the feeling that was conjured inside; it **had** to be. But then why; why on Mobius was he staring at her the way he was? Enlightened by seeing her in a fitted summer dress; taken back by her 'vintage' hair-do (at least that was what the girls at college called it; vintage gorgeous); surprised by seeing her in make-up; flabbergasted at the sight of her in heels…that wasn't love. That wasn't lust. It wasn't physical attraction because it just couldn't be. It couldn't; end of story. She wasn't his for the taming. She wasn't anyone's for the taming. She was her own person and she had her own set of ambitions. She had a life paved ahead for herself; more or less against her will, but all the same.

Then again, he couldn't deny the times they had spent together after Sonic the Hedgehog had left; the set of those giggling, sugar-sweet times they had spent talking about the world, astronomy, education, escaping castles, understanding Antoine; all the times they had spent hadn't left their mark on him. He also couldn't deny, however, the mad set of feelings his 'aunt' possessed for that blue hedgehog? Well, jeez, what did he have that he didn't? Years? It wasn't right, the way he was feeling staring at her. It wasn't right that way he was getting all sweaty; sure, he could tell her it was the heat, but it was too early for it to peak too high in temperature. He was her nephew. Her surrogate nephew; not her crush, not her lover. It was never supposed to be like that, so why was he thinking like that? Why weren't those Funny Kisses as funny as they used to be? Why were they nice now? Why weren't they nasty? Why didn't he understand what was going on in there; why didn't he understand what was happening to his head? All those perverted jokes the kids in his school would make; all the sexual references; all the gross sightings of couples making out on campus…why was he more tolerant right now? Could he be-no, he couldn't. He couldn't and would never be.

Once again forcing himself to stay sweet and pure he smiled pleasantly over an infatuated and wry grin.

"I can't believe you're in a dress, Aunt Sally." He feigned a gush, forcing his eyes on her arms rather than that one area of her body that he didn't want to want to look at (it was rude, first of all, and what would she think?). Catching an eye of a wide-brim, straw hat, he bit his lip. Well, it _could_ be a reasonable distraction… "Is that Bunnie's hat?"

"No, it's my own. Apparently it's in style." Placing it over her hair, she grinned. "Well?"

He looked over her, trying to stay away from the overwhelmingly suggestive compliments that were raging in his adolescent, male-hormone-stricken body. "I don't think it's big enough to cover that hair hump, Aunt Sally…" He begun, off of plain scientific observation (better than nothing). "With its volume, I mean…the width (at this point he sadly found his gaze averting downward; what was he talking about again?) well, that can do anything!" A blush overcame his cheeks when it had struck him what the width really applied to. Something was wrong with him; something was undoubtedly wrong with him and he was embarrassed.

And more wrongly; more sadly, she noticed.

"Are you alright, honey?" She begun in a soothing voice; the same that had mesmerized him from the beginning. Mesmerized? Him? Now he really _was_ starting to feel sick.

"I'm fine, Aunt Sally," he moaned in a sour tone. "I uhh…I just think something I had for breakfast this morning didn't agree with me. But I'll be okay, I promise! My uhh…mind's just wandering."

"If you're sure…" She smiled at him with confident glowing in her eyes, her gaze returning to her hat. Her trust in him was more than reassuring. There had to be a reason he was feeling the way he was around her—and girls in particular—there just had to be. He'd find out the problem; he'd get a prognosis. All he needed to do was get his mind (and eyes) away from it now. Her silvery tone caught him off guard as she stared over at him. "You know, Tails," He perked up at his name, mentally reminding himself of who exactly was talking. "We could've taken out an entire SWATbot army with these hats. With the weight and rim on here and with a few modifications, this hat has the aero-dynamics to be the perfect Frisbee. Hmm…" Looking out ahead, Tails watched her glance, relived that some of the discomforting feelings that had struck him before were subsiding. "If you give it the right curve, power…the right launch-off…" Moving it behind her and taking it by the edge, she grinned. "How much would you like to wager, Miles Prower, that I can get it over those guards?"

"Well, I don't know…" Thinking back on a physics lecture (yes, that was the perfect way to cease all those others thoughts), he tilt his head. "The elevation at the top'll definitely weigh it down. Hmm…well, from here, maybe. You've got a 50/50 chance…I think. I mean, Professor Mongoose's notes would probably contradict that, but he never meant the formula to apply to a hat, so…okay, Aunt Sally, you're on. Winner buys ice cream tonight!"

"Hmm…it's such a high price and we should be rehearsing. I don't know, Tails, I may have to take back my offer…"

"Aw, you're ready for that speech, Aunt Sally. We only went through it FIFTEEN times! Besides, don't you wanna be fresh when you go up? Doing it more'll only make you more conscious of your mistakes and possible uhh…error places, right?"

"Potentially. Daddy…uhh…my father, do you think he'll like it?"

"He'll love it, Aunt Sally." His remark came out sweet and innocent, just the way it should be. "He really will. I know I did."

"Thanks, Tails…you don't know how much that means to me now. This is my first impression on the entire kingdom and him. I-all I've ever wanted to do was make him proud."

"I know, Aunt Sally, I know. But don't you think with everything you've done in the past you've already done it?"

She shook her head. "That isn't enough, Tails. I want him to see it. I want to see his face when I finish it. He never saw my plans in full, Tails. He never saw me as a leader or politician…he saw me as a war general. This is different, honey. I-I can't ruin this."

"You won't, Aunt Sally. Just don't worry! You've done a million speeches before!"

"I can't help it. This is a real speech, Tails. Everyone is watching and I-"

"And you're prepared, pretty, and char-whatever that word was. You're more than ready. You're gonna be great up there."

"I never found that perfect end…"

"Don't worry, Aunt Sally. The one you wrote is okay but…"

"But it'll all come on its own when I get in the mood."

"Right! That's what my debate teacher told me last year! Just relax, Aunt Sally. Take a deep breath! Hee, it's sort of funny. You gave me this same advice last year."

"Last year…" Her voice trailed off. "I remember…your own first speech in front of everyone. You were amazing, Tails…"

"I was okay. But I was taught by the best, right? Don't underestimate yourself, Aunt Sally. If I was amazing, you'll be a-double-mazing!"

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Miles Prower, you're too much."

He only chuckled once more, eyeing the hat. "I still want that ice cream though, Aunt Sally."

"With my aim? You'll be buying me and whoever else is in our party two cones. This is your last chance, Miles Prower. You can back down now and we can run through my speech one more time."

"Nah-uh! The laws of physics are against you!"

"How would you know if you never applied them to my hat? Let's give it a go, Tails. Besides, I heard from a certain guard that someone's flying has improved when going over to balconies…"

"Oh, well, uhh…"

"Don't lie, Tails, he saw you. Now show me. Let's see it; right here, right now. Ready, Prower? Go fetch!" Pulling her grip back slightly more, she thrust it forward and released the straw hat at an upward angle. Watching it get its head start, she froze. "TAILS! COME BACK! IT'S GOING RIGHT TOWARDS THE CROWD!"

But it was too late. The fox had already took off with high motivation (this was his chance to impress her; to show he was just as amazing as Sonic) going after it, determined to get and prove himself. Soaring over the guards (including Antoine), he landed back down as he shuffled pass the crowd, letting out constant spurts of "excuse mes" and shoving, squeezing and rummaging pass idle Mobians to get into a better position. He continued this for a couple more seconds, rising back up after to see the hat sinking in the back of the crowd. "Wow! Aunt Sally WAS right! We COULD'VE take out a bunch of SWATbots with that hat!" he let out, realizing that the hat had better flight potential then either of them had let on. It had already cost him an ice cream. Maybe if he played around with its shape, he could turn it into a boomerang and-

Rushing his tails towards the back of the crowd, he flew past more and more people until the world was a blur. Eyeing focused on the sinking sunhat, he extended his hand. "Just a little further…" he murmured, opening his grip and reaching for it…reaching for the hat he'd present to his 'aunt' with a grin; reaching for the hat that with his time would knock her off her heels; reaching for the hat that would lead her to admire his abilities just as much as the True Blue's, just as much as…

GONE! Just as he was about to grab it, he noticed another gloved hand do the honors. Lowering down, he stared up to see the finder. Tall, thin, blue…blue?

"Sonic!" It was too ironic; the way _he_ caught it. Standing above him, Mobius's very own premièred hero stared down with his usual, sassy face, causing slight aggression to rise inside the fox. However, it rushed right back out of him when it struck him that for the first time, in three years (was it three?) his 'big brother' was standing right in front of him, in the flesh. Wrapping his arms around him, Tails smiled and gazed up himself.

"I didn't think this was a freebie-fest too, T2!" Chuckling slightly, the blue hedgehog admired the hat and than chuckled more at the sight in front of him. "Whoa, bud, take it easy there! I told 'ya I was back for good!" Slight silence. Tails broke his embrace, watching Sonic's countenance change from surprised to amused. "Some Frisbee you got there, 'lil bro! Shady too!" Attempting to put it on, he only laughed more. "What stand did you get this from?"

"It isn't from a stand, Sonic. And I need that back!"

"Cool down, T2! I wasn't gonna keep it." Turning it upside down, he glanced at the tag on the inside. "_Avoir L'Amour_? That's a funky name for a designer, bro! This Ant's or somethin'?"

"No, it's Aunt Sally's! And I've gotta get it back to her right now!" Pulling it away from him, the hedgehog froze.

"Wait, this is Sal's?"

"Yeah! She's waiting for me!"

"Where?"

"In the front! She's doing a speech and-oh…" Realization stuck him like a ball balancing back on a wall. It came and his eyes slightly widened, his ears sunk down, and all at once it hit him where this was going. _Sonic _wanted to see her.

"T2, you've gotta get me to her! I've been tryin' to get in touch with her for a week but no avail!" Frantic pacing on the hedgehog's part. Letting his arms do most of the talk, the fox watched him baffled, yet somehow upset through it.

Biting his lip, Tails stared down, studying the detail on his sneakers. "I don't know, Sonic. They don't let just anyone in…" Well, it wasn't exactly a lie. They didn't let just anyone in, especially strangers and with Antoine on duty, it was no doubt he'd declare Sonic one.

"T2, you're makin' it sound like a nightclub and let me tell 'ya, _any one in town_ will let me in!" Hands on his hips, Sonic rolled his eyes. This nonchalant and predictable attitude, somehow, made Tails feel worst.

"This isn't like a nightclub though, Sonic. This is Aunt Sally! There's like, fifteen guards up there all around her!" Okay, maybe fifteen was exaggeration…but there had to be at least seven (and seven was nearly half)!

"So?"

"So? They don't even like letting me in. They only do it now because Aunt Sally instructed them too." At least that was the truth; and that was the truth. He couldn't explain the possessive feelings kicking in; he just couldn't….who was he to keep Sonic from her?

"Yeah, so? Sal'd do the same for me in a heartbeat, right?"

His counterpoint stuck him like a knife. "It's not that easy! First we've gotta TALK to Princess Sally first, and that means getting past them." Princess Sally; he actually called her Princess Sally. A cold demeanor was starting to become apparent and Sonic, no idiot, was starting to take notice to it. At this point, however, he chose to ignore it.

"Nooo problem! I cruised past SWATbutts back in Robotropolis. Gettin' pass a few guards is a piece of cake!"

He denounced the threat? He denounced HIS threat! "But it's not easy, Sonic, it's really not! You've gotta trust me!" He forced a sweet disposition; he really did. Apparently, Sonic's own cravings and determination surpass belief of it.

"I never said I didn't! But I've really gotta talk to her, pronto! Good-for-nothin' Ant hasn't given her any of my messages. I went there the other day and all he said was that her schedule was full…blah, blah, blah. I sort of stopped listenin' at the word 'full'. He's like a broken record, T2!"

"Well, Aunt Sally IS really busy…"

"Look, buddy, you've got exclusive access 'n you know how important this is to me!"

"Uhh…actually, I don't."

"YOU DON'T! LOOK, T2, THERE COMES A TIME IN A GUY'S LIFE WHEN STUFF LIKE…well, big kid stuff strikes him! Sometimes a guy's gotta, 'ya know, let loose on some of his policies and give in."

"Give in to what, Sonic?" He tried so hard to sound clueless, but he knew…

"'Ya know, Tails! The notes; the letters…commitment!"

"Commitment? Commitment to chili dogs?"

"Say what! NO, TAILS! COMMITMENT TO SAL! COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCESS!"

"Ohhh…" Bitter and fake realization. Forcing a soft, lower tone, the fox stared down. He was trying to act as if he didn't know; really, he was! What happened to no-brained Sonic? The hedgehog wasn't falling for his act; he just wasn't!

"OH! 'Ya know, T2, I'm startin' to think you ARE tryin' to keep me from her!"

"Me? N-n-no! Why would I do that? You're my best friend!" His rebuttal was perfectly sugarcoated. Staring up, he placed his hands behind his back. He smiled faintly. Sonic remained unmoved.

"I don't know why, T2, butcha are! Ever thought of takin' a tape recorder 'n listenin' to yourself? Guards were never a biggie before and now you're actin' like they're a mondo huge problem! You know how me 'n Sal have been…"

"How have you been?"

"TAILS! Look, T2, if you're not gonna help me, that's fine! I'll see her myself!"

"How are you gonna do that, Sonic? This place is packed with security and she's got plans for the rest of the day!" Well, the plans were a lie, but he'd improvise if his friend inquired further.

"Hey, I'm a war hero, Tails. I do everythin' spur of the moment. I'll figure out somethin'."

"But Sonic…"

"But nothin'! You don't even wanna help me anyway!"

"I never said that!"

"You're SCREAMIN' it, buddy! I don't know WHAT'S up with you, but everythin' you're sayin' to me is screechin' 'KEEP OFF SAL'! I'm no fool, Tails! I know when someone's keeping something—or in this case _someone_—from me!"

"I'm not trying to keep her from you!" Standing on his tip toes, Tails crossed his arms. He was near tears. He hated arguing; he hated arguing with his best friend! He wasn't even sure WHY he was arguing…

"News Flash, T2, YOU ARE! Not helpin' me get past the guards or even tellin' me where she is _period_…you are, Tails! You are! Look, I'm not tryin' to take her from you! I understand you guys have always been really close; but look, me and Sal are close too!"

"I know that, Sonic!"

"Then why are you acting like this?"

"I don't know. I DON'T KNOW, OKAY?" Tears falling, Tails wiped his eyes. That Sonic full-heartedly noticed and achknowledged.

"Whooooa, take a chill pill!" He begun, kneeling down and extending a paw to wipe one.

Tails swept it away. "Just leave me alone, Sonic! Stay away from me!"

"What! Whoa, aren'tcha takin' things a little too far?"

"Just go away!" Tails begun, heading back.

"T2…" Sonic's voice begun low, pleading…

"Don't call me that! My name is MILES! _MILES!_ Not T2, or 'lil bro, or whatever! I'm Miles. Good-bye, Sonic!" Taking one last look at the hedgehog's suddenly concerned face, the fox stormed away; more enraged at the fact Sonic was now worried about him than he had been before when the hedgehog was aiming to get some time alone with his 'aunt' Sally. There was nothing wrong with him; there wouldn't be anything wrong with him! He was 100 percent himself; he was 110 percent himself! He was Miles Prower and he was going to be fine!

* * *

Standing on top that stage; standing over that podium; the entire decorated sector of Mobotropolis spoke to her. There was people dispersed all over; citizens so eager to listen; hard-working citizens…citizens that had strived so long and rapidly to make that gorgeous metropolis what it had been today. It gave her a small, growing fascination; it sent an inevitable smile across her face as she studied them. She wanted to know them all; she wanted to hear every single story. She cared about them. She understood them. They were the foundation; they were the support of that kingdom; of that planet and without even one of them, the foundation would stumble; the group would collapse, and any hopes of progression would just shatter in front of them.

Mere exaggeration, perhaps, but the plain thought warmed her heart and brought her into the mood. She watched a man take the mic beside her; a man with remarkable resemblance; a man in royal garments; the man she barely knew…

And he spoke. He spoke and applause followed. He spoke of her name; of her position; he spoke and handed the microphone to her. Months of preparation; weeks of editing; days of rehearsal fell in front of her. Taking a deep breath and shutting her eyes, she begun; bringing a nice, alluring tone about her; trying to capture their attention; trying to focus their minds on the girl in front of them; the inept, smart, amateur politician; the eager, enchanted journalist; the silly, irrational dreamer; the pretend, pedantic princess feigned in front of them.

Lost in her words, her mind became tangled on every fragment; sentence, every word that left her mouth from memory. Every word; every letter; every syllable…every sign of proof that progress had been made. The speech was more than her, it was everyone; every citizen and she happily illuminated every moment of it…

"And it's more than hearts that bring us together today. It's more than minds and spirits that compel us together on this old battleground. It's the memories; it's the improvements….it's the progress in general that keeps us all her. And in this progress, there's celebration. You see, this city has been more than a restoration project. When we started this after Doomsday, we all knew it'd be more. People's lives went in to this…and some went out…"

Standing on the sidelines, the words of the fair princess ran through one ear to the exit of another, as a torn, worn-out sneaker tapped on the pavement. How, he reasoned; How on Mobius was he supposed to grab her attention? Catching an eye on a nearby rock, he tilt his head. Well, maybe-

"It was ten-no, eleven long years of battle. Eleven longs years we, as Freedom Fighters, poured our spirits into. We knew the end; we knew the alternative, but most of all, we knew you. We knew the past, but only faintly. We wanted to know the future, but quite frankly, we couldn't. But we fought for it…"

Nah, a rock would have been too faint of a distraction and as a speaker, Sally knew better than to pay attention too it.

"You know, uhh…as immature as it sounds, I've always wanted a happy ending. Not just for me; but for all of us. When I was little; well, my father would read me stories…"

Well, he could always aim it for her head…

"Not just any stories; plain fairy tales. There'd be a princess…a knight…"

Or maybe he could knock the podium down with it…that'd work, right?

"…and as a girl, I well, I'd always tie them into my life. Relate them to me, you know? I'd be the princess-well, granted, by birth I am a princess, but…uhh…well…"

No, no, Sal'd be infuriated at him then…

"...be the knight. I know it's silly in concept, but it's the only way I could ever truly understand to them and relate to them. It was a way to get away…"

There was always the option of shouting her name aloud. No, no, that'd be disrespectful.

"During the war, I'd read them to Tails too. Tails, he's my nephew…my surrogate nephew. I don't know why, but whenever I did, the pain-the reality of war seemed to go away from a while…"

Plain disrespectful. And what would she think, him cutting off her precious words?

"And I'd think of the kingdom as Mobotropolis…"

He could wave…

"I'd think of the citizens as all of you…"

He could shout…

"I'd see their smiling faces; I'd see their happiness-your happiness. And it'd win me. Everyday, it'd remind me, just exactly what I was fighting for…"

He could speed up…

"It was this-this gorgeous city that was always my happy ending. And it's here now. This-this fairy tale…and we all made it!"

Dash over to her…

"Every single one of you; every single one of your efforts. Every building; every business; every-every stroke of labor…"

No, run to her!

"And I want-I want everyone here to have the same happy ending that I have now. This is our time to celebrate. To celebrate everything we've done within these three years!"

Run to her, tap her on the back…

"And I want to thank you; I want to thank all of you for everything. I couldn't be any prouder of a kingdom; I couldn't be any prouder to represent such a-such an amazing group of people; an enchanting, magical…mystical; beautiful set of people…"

Say 'Hey Sal, how're 'ya doin'?'…

"Every single one of you is my happy ending. Hee, you know now, I…all I need is some knight to…sweep me off my feet. And then my story's complete…"

No, no, that was dumb-wait, sweep her off her feet?

"Not to say you aren't my knights, of course; in a physical sense, you are, I only mean…"

Run up to her, bend her down, yeah, that could work…

"A…a typical ending for a princess."

It would work. Just rev up…

"But that's beyond the point. Knight or not, today is about every single one of you and with these festivities…"

Take off…

"…we can reflect on that success…"

Whiz past the guards (hey, was that Ant's hat that went off?)

"We can reflect on the efforts; the labors; the struggles; the hardships…"

Speed onto the stage…

"The victories, the amazements, the wonders of all our work that surround us! This is your city, Mobotropolis and I couldn't be any prouder to stand in it. Everything about the architecture; the art; the technology; the functionality; these are the adjectives that make this place home!"

Linger behind her…

"This is _my_ home. In the café; at the newspaper office; on the street corners; in the park…every landmark I embrace. For even without the-the silly clichéd knight, you've given this princess-"

Hands wrapped around her and bent her down. Her words cut off, she felt the faint, soft, loving contact of a pair of lips. Lips from a stranger; lips at the end of her speech. It was so foreign; it was so different; she was tense, she was surprised, she was-

Catching eye of the pair of sneakers below her, she softened and returned the kiss, shutting her eyes about to wrap her own arms around the mysterious figure until she felt them-it part immediately. Opening her eyes, she saw a pair of guards grabbing the stranger by the arms, dragging him off stage. Taken aback, she only watched helplessly; wanting desperately to do something.

Realizing the speech was still in front of her before even a second passed, she rushed back to the microphone, adjusting it. "…her happy ending. Thank you." She ended quickly, watching that daring knight of hers being dragged off. Those blue quills; those red sneakers…that slick smile…

Dragged off from her again; dragged off while it being out of her control. It was the Coup all over again. Painful memories struck her and her feet took off instinctually after her. Rushing past the stage, she forgot about her father and the audience. Shuffling past the crowds as her 'nephew' had done prior; she only fell, forgetting about the vulnerability that were the heels that graced her feet. She stumbled up, she looked ahead; helpless, so helpless…

Helpless against her will and she didn't like it.

Applause rustled around her though; applause was her only background. There were whistles; there were cheers. There were some cries from fan-girls; complaints from members of his newly-formed fan club but above all, citizens clapped; but from the back came the loudest cheers of all. Standing tall and proud, three of the former Freedom Fighters gave an elated ovation; cheering, smiling, grinning…

All over her; all over him…and there she stood in the contraire of their feelings.


End file.
